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Death is a futile thing.
Even more so on a battlefield where countless lives are extinguished.
Comrades you had just shared a al with a few hours ago lay sprawled out, unable to even close their eyes.
A superior who used to nitpick at every little thing you did, takes their last breath with a gurgling sound of bloody foam.
It didn’t matter if they were a husband who hadn’t been married long or a filial son taking care of his elderly mother.
None could escape the cruel blade of war.
‘If you co back in one piece, it’s a miracle. If you return with only minor injuries, it’s heaven’s blessing. And if you return alive even with a part of your body missing, you’re incredibly lucky.’
There’s a reason such sayings exist.
No matter how tragic one’s story was, simply making it out alive from the battlefield, where even your na could be forgotten, ant that you were incredibly fortunate.
‘Yeah. Being lucky.’
In the man’s opinion, what you need most to survive on the battlefield is luck.
Half-hearted strength doesn’t an anything.
There were plenty of comrades who were stronger than him in the battlefield he’d co back from, yet only a few of them survived alongside him.
The reason they were able to make it back alive was because they were a bit luckier than the others.
Had he not instinctively turned his body at the last mont—
Had that sword aura veered just a little bit to the side—
‘…Another miss.’
And if the demon that had rcilessly slaughtered his comrades hadn’t lost interest and left—
That day, what the man would have lost wouldn’t have been his left arm, but his life.
The demon, who had inflicted almost total annihilation with just a few sword swings, turned and left, and the remaining survivors barely managed to flee.
There’s no need to describe the morale of those survivors who ran away.
But the man was different.
After being forced out of the battlefield, missing an arm, he returned to his hotown. And as he was held in his weeping mother’s embrace, he thought—
Could such power really co from a human body? And from a girl who looked even younger than his own daughter?
The man realized sothing.
Half-hearted strength ans nothing, but overwhelming strength—
Strength that can overco misfortune—
Surviving might be luck, but strength is what determines the line between fortune and misfortune.
That’s why the man picked up his sword with his remaining arm.
Dreaming of the day his sword would one day reach that demon.
***
It had already been a few days since we left the Sedeth Kingdom and set out on our journey after the lengthy Descent Festival ended.
In the monotonous routine of eating, riding, eating, and riding again, there were two things that Da-eun and I never skipped.
Sword training and language study.
“…Do you two always train like this?”
Celine asked with a bewildered expression.
I was learning Arkish but was still clumsy with it, and Celine didn’t know Granic at all.
So, Celine and I could only communicate through Da-eun, who was the only one proficient in both languages.
Or Celine had to stick to using only the most basic vocabulary I could understand.
But even that didn’t lead to proper communication.
And right now, Da-eun, who was supposed to translate our conversation—
“….”
“Hmm….”
There was no response. It was as if she were a corpse.
I poked her side, where she lay sprawled on the ground, her face buried in the dirt, but there was still no reaction.
What a sha… She’s gone so young….
May she find peace in the afterlife.
Rustle.
I gathered a handful of dirt and sprinkled it over her prone body.
“…I’m not asleep yet….”
“Ah, she’s alive.”
With a strange groan, Da-eun staggered to her feet.
‘…An undead?’
Seeing her rise like that, as if crawling out from the ground, I couldn’t help but wonder—
Should I exterminate her? I subconsciously reached for my sword.
Just then, I made eye contact with Celine.
Judging by her sowhat uncomfortable expression, it seed she had the sa thought as .
“Celine, could I ask you to help…?”
“O-of course, anyti.”
As the golden mana flowed from Celine’s hands and seeped into Da-eun’s body, the small wounds on her skin healed, and the pale, lifeless look in her face began to disappear.
Her clothes were still filthy, and she looked like she was about to collapse at any mont, but at least she no longer resembled an undead.
Propping herself up with her sword, Da-eun let out a long sigh.
“Really, I’m always indebted to you, Celine. If it weren’t for you, I’d already be dead.”
“No matter how strong Kana is… to that extent….”
“…To be honest, Celine can’t guarantee it either, right?”
“N-no, that’s not true.”
“Oh, co on, just say it honestly. It’s okay. Kana won’t understand anyway, so it’s fine.”
“As a nun, how could I speak ill of soone behind their back?”
“Oh no! Speaking ill? That’s too serious! I don’t want to speak ill of Kana either, of course. This is just… um, I just want to hear Celine’s honest opinion.”
“Honest… opinion?”
“Yes. You don’t have to think too deeply about it. Just tell how difficult the training feels.”
“Hmm… to be honest….”
“Honestly…?”
“It feels… very difficult.”
“Right?!”
After chatting a bit with Celine, Da-eun instantly regained her energy.
It was a dramatic change for soone who seed to be on the brink of death just monts ago.
“Sotis, it feels like the training is even tougher than what the Holy Knights go through… Oh, but that’s just speaking about the intensity of the training.”
“But you’re still saying it’s difficult, aren’t you? Sigh, Kana’s really pushing people to their limits….”
“….”
Hearing my na ntioned here and there, it seed like they were talking about .
I’m frustrated.
It’s frustrating not being able to understand what they’re saying, so I considered buying a magic tool that could translate.
‘…The price, though.’
After seeing the price, I quickly gave up on that thought.
Or maybe it’s more accurate to say that my mind was made up for .
No matter how much money I’ve saved up, spending that much at once is too much.
If I’d known it would be like this, I should’ve asked Edel if she had any good solutions.
Considering how people from Earth speak Arkish so fluently, Edel must have done sothing.
The first ti I spoke with Edel, I was too overwheld with emotions, and the second ti, there were so many things to discuss that it slipped my mind.
Earth, Dinsional Creatures, the Great Continent….
With such large-scale topics, there was no way I would’ve thought about a translator.
And right after we finished talking about the Demonic Race, Edel disappeared, so there wasn’t ti for it.
I’ll just study as much as I can, and if it really doesn’t work out, I’ll consider buying a magic tool.
I can always earn more money later.
“You seem fine. Want to keep going a bit longer?”
“…Please, have rcy.”
“…I just saved you, didn’t I?”
“What I ant is… not just keeping alive….”
Da-eun put on an extrely pitiful expression.
“Da… umm….”
I stopped as I was speaking and t Da-eun’s gaze.
Although I know her real na, she asked to call her Joanie if possible.
She said it felt more familiar that way.
And she also ntioned that if there ever ca a ti when she wanted to be called by her real na, she’d let know.
…Saying this makes sound a bit strange, but—
‘Isn’t she being too obvious?’
Of course, Da-eun has no idea that I know, so that must be why.
Even though I thought her excuse was flimsy, I played along with her.
“Didn’t Joanie ask to teach her?”
If this way of teaching hadn’t shown results, I wouldn’t have had anything to say.
“You’ve improved a lot.”
This wasn’t an empty complint just to make Da-eun feel better.
Her basic stance when holding a sword, as well as her overall combat skills, had improved significantly.
She also had mostly gotten over her habit of flinching in fear at her own sword swings, and she could respond more calmly to incoming attacks.
“E-ehehe. R-really?”
Judging by her expression, she seed to be asking if Kana was really complinting her for once.
Even though she looked skeptical, she broke into a bashful smile after hearing the complint.
Co to think of it, I don’t think I’ve ever really praised her while teaching.
Of course, it’s because there wasn’t anything worth praising, but seeing her react like this, it might not be a bad idea to give complints every now and then.
For the sake of effective education.
…Yeah, purely for efficiency.
Seeing Da-eun smiling bashfully made the irritation in my chest subside a little.
“Then, shall we do a bit more?”
“Do you think I’ll fall for that? Absolutely not!”
Watching Da-eun’s back as she quickly ran away, as if worried I might try to catch her, I smacked my lips.
“Aww, it’s not working.”
***
Tap, tap.
I stared half-mindedly at the crackling campfire.
I think I once heard that fire played the most significant role in humanity’s developnt.
Maybe that’s why. Just sitting here quietly, watching the flas flicker, strangely calms my mind.
‘How long has it been since I’ve felt this at ease?’
Thinking back…
I don’t think I’ve ever truly relaxed since becoming the captain.
Or since my father passed away.
With the constant annoyance of the royals and nobles, the ongoing war with the Empire, and the ever-looming threat of monsters…
Even after the fall of Grasis and shedding the cumberso position of Crimson Knights Captain, nothing really changed.
I always had to stay sowhat alert since danger could co from anywhere at any ti.
So it’s really unusual for to feel this relaxed right now.
Thanks to Celine’s Holy Magic, I don’t have to worry about physical threats, and as for ntal burdens…
…It’d be a lie to say I have none, but for so reason, I have this feeling that things will turn out fine, so I’m not too worried.
I wonder when I started having such optimistic thoughts.
It was so ridiculous that I almost let out a laugh.
“…It’s done!”
All of a sudden, Da-eun shouted excitedly.
It seed she finally finished what she’d been working on for the past few nights, huddled by the campfire.
Whenever I tried to see what she was working on so diligently,
‘It’s a surprise, so no peeking.’
That’s what she said, so I couldn’t figure out what she was up to.
I could’ve found out if I really wanted to, but I didn’t want to pry after she made it clear she wanted to keep it a secret.
But if you say it’s a surprise, isn’t it no longer a surprise, but just a gift?
I tilted my head in confusion.
In the anti, Da-eun quickly tidied up her spot and ca over to .
“Ta-da! It’s a surprise gift.”
“Uh, uh-huh… I’m so surprised. I didn’t expect you to prepare sothing like this.”
“Pffft, what’s that supposed to be? Were you acting? That didn’t suit you at all!”
“….”
I went along with it, and this is what I get.
As I puffed my cheeks in annoyance, Da-eun pinched them playfully.
“Aww, so cute~”
“…Hrmph mph.”
She only let go of my cheek after seeing my eyes narrow into triangles.
Rubbing my slightly warm cheek, I asked,
“So, what is this?”
Da-eun flipped through a bundle of papers.
Through the neatly bound sheets, I could glimpse so words written on them.
“These are word cards. With these, it should be easier for you to study and also for you to have conversations with Celine.”
“?”
Hearing her na, Celine perked up from where she was sitting.
She slowly got up and approached us. When she saw what I was holding, she exclaid softly.
“Oh my, you’ve finished it. You’ve really put in a lot of effort.”
“Hmm. I worked really hard, didn’t I!”
Each sheet was filled with words in Granic and Arkish.
And to aid understanding, there were small, simple drawings corresponding to the words.
While Da-eun was proudly puffing up her chest, Celine and I looked through the word cards she had made.
“Wa…ter… fish?”
“Yes, it ans ‘fish.’”
“…What about this one?”
“That one ans ‘doll.’”
“Aha.”
…It was written in Granic, but because of the drawing, I thought it was a monster.
Objectively speaking, Da-eun’s drawing skills were not very good.
But still, her sincerity ca through.
“…Thank you.”
I smiled at her, conveying my gratitude.
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